Photographic developing and fixing apparatus



April 18, 1939- P. A, sHERlDAN PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING AND FIXING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 24, 1938 l z l Phil .Sherzldan/- PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING AND FIXING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 24, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPING AND FIXING APPARATUS 11 Claims.

This invention relates to photographic apparatus and more particularly to developing and ilxing trays which are especially adaptable for use with portable photo-copying mechanisms.

Various types of photo-copying machines have been heretofore provided and it has also been proposed to provide a portable mechanism of this type. In using such latter mechanism, which has the advantage of being readily movable from i one place to another for photographic reproduction purposes, it is of course necessary, in order to develop the prints, to utilize certain photographic solutions, such as a developing solution and a fixing solution. Heretofore, so far as ap- 15. plicant is aware, these solutions have been kept in containers, such as bottles, and are poured into trays when required. In the case of using the portable photo-copying machines referred to above, it is necessary, after the particular work 20, at hand is completed, to return the solutions to the containers, wash and dry the trays, and pack these materials to be transported to another place, where the process must be repeated. Such necessary manipulations of the solutions is not u only time-consuming but also entails the risk of loss of some of the liquid.

Itis accordingly one of the objects of the present invention to provide a photographic apparatus which is so constituted as to avoid the above disadvantages.

Another object is to provide a novel photographic tray construction which will dispense with the necessity of storing the photographic solutions in bottles and which will be readily portable.

Still another object is to provide a pair vof photographic trays adapted to contain the necessary solutions for developing and fixing photographic prints which shall be so constructed that the solutions may be maintained therein, without danger of loss, while the trays are readily transported from one place of use to another.

Another object is to provide a novel tray construction in which prints may be quickly and ellciently developed or xed and so constructed as to render it unnecessary for the operator to immerse his fingers in the solution when placing prints into or removing them from the tray.

A further object is to provide a photographic tray apparatus combining the above features with those of low cost production, ease of manufacture and lightness in weight.

Other objects and novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from 'the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein two embodiments of the invention are illustrated. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawingsv are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of one form of the invention illustrating the photographic trays in assembled relation;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the assembled trays oI.' Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the trays of Fig. 1 in partially assembled relation;

Fig. 4 illustrates in sectional views the normal positions of the trays;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modified `form of construction;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the trays of Fig, 5 in assembled position, and

Fig. '7 is partial view in perspective of a detail of the invention.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, photographic apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention is illustrated therein as comprising a pair of similarly-shaped trays 8 and 9 which are adapted to contain the usual photographic solutions required for developing and fixing photographic prints. Inasrnuch as each of these trays is constructed in a similar manner, with the exception of one feature which will be pointed out more fully hereinafter, the detailed construction of one tray only will be described.

As will be readily perceived from Figs. 2 and 3, the tray 8, for example, is of substantially rectangular form and includes a bottom wall I0, front and back walls II and I2 respectively, together with side Walls I3 and I4. Such walls together form an open-topped chamber I5 in which the photographic solution may be placed for treatment of the prints when the tray is placed so that the bottom wall I0 rests upon ka flat surface. It will be readily understood that the parts of the tray thus far described may be readily fabricated in any known manner, such for example as being built from a plurality of assembled sheets or by employing a stamping method. The bottom, front, back and side walls of tray 9 are illustrated at Illa, Ila, I2a, I3a and I4a respectively.

One of the important and novel features of the present invention resides in so constructing the trays that they may be transported from place to place without danger of loss of the solution contained therewithin. To this end, the open top of the tray 8, for example, is closed by a cover portion I6, said portion being secured to the top of the back Wall and to the top edges of the side walls I3 and |4 at the rear thereof, as will be readily perceived from Fig. 3. Preferably, the ends of the portion I8 which adjoin the sides of the tray are of a greater extent, as indicated at II, than the central portion thereof, such construction being provided for eliminating any possibility of loss of the solution from the tray when the latter is placed in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and is being transported from one place to another.

In photographic trays heretofore provided, the same have been placed upon a flat surface, and, in subjecting the prints to the action ofthe solution, the operator frequently immersed the tips of his fingers in the solution. Certain harmful results have occurred from this practice due to the ingredients of the solutions employed. With the present invention, the tray is so constructed as to reduce to a minimum the possibility that the operators fingers will be subjected to the action of the solution in placing prints into and removing them from the tray. To this end, the tray 8, 'for example, is provided with a pair of supporting arms I8, one such arm being secured to the side wall I4 while the other arm is secured to the other side wall I3. As shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the arms are provided with ends |9- projecting beyond the bottom Ill and are arranged slightly forwardly of the center of the tray. This construction permits the tray 8 to assume the position illustrated in Fig. 4 when the tray is placed upon a flat surface, and, from this figure, it will be observed that the solution contained within the tray is located in the rear portion thereof. Hence, in placing a print within the tray for treatment by the solution, the operator, after positioning the same in the central portion of the tray, presses downwardly on the forward portion and subjects the latter to a rocking action about the ends I9 of the supporting arms which serve as fulcrums. In this manner, the print within the tray is evenly and eiciently subjected to the action of the photographic solution, and, following the continuance of this treatment for the necessary interval of time, the tray is permitted to assume its position as shown in Fig. 4, with the solution contained in the rear part thereof, whereupon the operator may remove the print Without the necessity of dipping the ends of his fingers into the solution. It will be understood that tray 9 is provided with similar supporting arms |8a having projections |9a.

In removing the print from the tray, it is highly desirable that excess solution be removed from the print. For this purpose, the side walls I 3 and I4, adjacent the top of the front wall I I, are provided with bearing surfaces 20 and 2|, see Fig. 7. adapted to receive the ends of a roller 22. With the exception of the ends received in said bearing surfaces, the surface of the roller 22 is covered With a corrugated material of resilient composition, such as rubber or rubber compound, for a purpose which will appear more fully hereinafter. A cover 23 is provided for covering the remaining open portion of the chamber I5 of tray 8, and, as will be seen from Fig. 3, the front edge 24 of the cover is curved, the degree of curvature of the edge being similar to the curvature of the roller 22. The cover 23 is hingedly connected to the cover portion I 6 as by means of flat spring hinges 25 and 26, this construction serving to keep the cover 23 closed and to normally resiliently maintain the curved front edge 24 in Contact with the corrugated surface of roller 22. Thus, when a print is removed from the tray between the edge 24 of cover 23 and roller 22, the spring hinges 25 and 2G serve to exert sufficient pressure between parts 22 and 24 in order to wipe or express excess solution from the print.

In like manner, tray 9 is provided with a cover 23a having a front edge 24a adapted to cooperate with roller 22a. Spring hinges 25a and 26a connect cover 23a with cover portion |60..

As heretofore pointed out, one of the important features of the present invention resides in the portability of the trays. To this end, the construction is such that one tray may be placed on top of the other and both securely fastened together for transporting as a unit. As will be observed from Fig. 3, the supporting arms I8 of the tray 8 are so constructed that the upper extremities thereof are notched or cut away as indicated at 21 for reception of the projecting ends |9a of the arms |8a of tray 9. Thus, when the latter tray is placed on top of tray 8, the projecting ends |9a of the arms I8a engage and interfit with the upper extremities of arms I8. It will also be observed that the inner sides of projections I9a engage the side walls of the lower tray. With this arrangement, relative sliding movement of the trays is prevented and the bottom of the top tray fits snugly against the top of the bottom tray. A pair of straps 28 and 29 may thereafter be placed around the ends of the assembled trays, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, in order to securely maintain them in assembled position. Handle means 3D are connected to these straps and, as shown, include a flat metal strip 3| connected at either end thereof with the straps as by means of rivets 32 and 33. For the purpose of properly centering the handle means with respect to the two trays, the strip 3| is provided with a pair of tongues 34 and 35 which are adapted to be inserted between the bottom of the tray 9 and the cover of the tray 8.

With the trays in assembled relation, as above described, it will be readily perceived that they may be carried from place to place by the handle means 30. Due to the construction of the fixed cover members I6 and IIia associated with the trays and having portions I1 and I'Ia, any danger of loss of the Solution is eliminated.

In the construction heretofore described, the arrangement is such that tray 9 may be assembled on top of tray 8, this because of the cut-away portion 2T in the supporting arms I8 of tray 8. The upper extremities of the supporting arms |8a are not provided with any cut-away portions,so that, in the event that tray 8 were placed over tray 9, the trays would not interfit. If the top tray 9 is adapted to contain the fixing solution, for example, the above referred to construction assures that there will be no danger of mixing the solutions or of putting a different solution in the top tray in the event that an additional amount of solution is necessary to be added to the trays.

It is sometimes desirable to test a part of the sensitized paper or the developing solution before making and developing a print of the paper to be photographed. This is usually done by exposing a small piece of the sensitized paper and thereafter noting the results when the sample is treated with the developing solution. To facilitate this practice, a testing strip 50 is secured in any suitable manner to the cover 23 of developing tray 8 and extends downwardly toward the bottom of the tray. The sample referred to above may thus be impaled upon the testing strip and subjected to the action of the developing solution for the required interval of time.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 5, the trays in this form being constructed in a manner similar to those heretofore described. The only difference between this form and the first form resides in the means for securing the trays in assembled relation. As will be readily perceived from Fig. 5, the trays are hingedly connected together as by means of a hinge 40, the component parts of which are connected respectively to the back walls of each tray adjacent the tops thereof. In use, the trays occupy the position shown in Fig. 5, and, after inserting prints into either tray, both trays may be simultaneously rocked about the supporting arms I8 by pressing downwardly on the forward edge of either tray. When it is desired to assemble the trays for transporting to a different place, the same are moved toward each other in opposite directions and finally occupy the relative positions as shown in Fig. 6. Thereafter, the straps 28 and 29 may be used to secure the trays in assembled position as in the case of the first form of the invention above described.

While two embodiments of the invention have been .described herein with considerable particularity, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but is capable of a variety of expressions, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. Reference will, therefore, be had to the claims appended hereto for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A photographic tray having front, back, side and bottom walls .defining a rectangular chamber of relatively shallow depth and adapted to contain a photographic solution, a fixed cover member cooperating with said side and back walls and closing the rear portion of said chamber, a roller carried by said side walls and positioned adjacent the top of the front wall, a cover for closing the remainder of said chamber, said cover having its forward edge curved to conform to the curvature of said roller, and a pluralityl of resilient members connecting said cover and cover member and normally serving to maintain the cover closed with the curved edge thereof in con-- tact with the surface of said roller, whereby excess photographic solution may be removed from prints as the latter are removed from the tray.

2. In combination with a photographic tray adapted to contain a photographic solution, said tray having the rear portion of the top thereof permanently closed, a top cover having a curved forward edge, a roller positioned in the forward portion of said tray adjacent the top thereof, the curvature of said roller conforming to the curvature of said edge, and means for securing said top cover in place and for normally maintaining said cover in position to effect contact between said edge and roller comprising a plurality of resilient members connecting the rear edge of the cover and said permanently closed portion of the top.

3. A photographic tray having a top cover. a roller cooperating with the forward edge of said cover, and means for securing the cover to the tray and for normally maintaining said edge in contact with the roller comprising a pair of flat spring metal members connecting said tray and the rear edge of said cover.

4. Photographic apparatus comprising a pair of trays adapted to contain photographic solutions, each of said trays being of rectangular shape and of similar size, hinged covers for the trays, a support secured to the side of each tray and projecting beyond the bottom thereof for supporting each tray for rocking movement upon a fiat surface, the supports on corresponding sides of the trays being aligned when one tray is aligned on top of the other, the supports on the bottom tray being constructed and arranged to receive the ends of the projecting portions of the aligned supports of the top tray to allow contact between the bottom of the top tray and the top of the bottom tray and to prevent relative sliding movement between said trays, and means for securing said trays together.

5. A photographic tray adapted to contain a photographic solution, said tray having areotangular bottom wall and relatively narrow front, baci: and side walls defining a chamber having an open top, a cover member secured to said back and side wails forming a permanent closure for the back portion of the chamber, said member being wider adjacent the side walls than in the central portion thereof, for preventing loss of solution when the tray is being transported in a vertical position, and a top member for closing the remainder of the chamber, said top member being hinged to said cover member.

6. A photographic tray adapted to contain a photographic solution, said tray comprising a substantially rectangular bottom wall and relatively narrow front, back and side walls defining a chamber having an open top, a cover member secured to said back and side walls forming a permanent closure for the back portion of the chamber, said member being wider adjacent the side walls than in the central portion thereof, for preventing loss of solution when the tray is being transported in a vertical position, a top member hinged to said cover member for closing the remainder of the chamber, and a supporting arm secured to each side wall and projecting a slight distance beyond the bottom wall, said arms being positioned forwardly of the center of the tray and forming fulcrums about which the tray may be rocked when placed upon a fiat surface.

7. A photographic tray adapted to contain a photographic solution, a pair of arms secured to said tray normally raising the front portion thereof, said arms projecting beyond the bottom of the tray and being positioned forwardly of the center of the tray and constituting fulcrurns about which the tray may be rocked, a hinged cover for said tray, and a member secured to said cover and extending downwardly in said tray to a point adjacent the bottom for supporting a sample of exposed sensitized paper to be subjected to the action of said solution during rocking movement of the tray.

8. Photographic apparatus comprising a pair of trays adapted to contain photographic solutions, each of said trays being of rectangular shape and of similar size, covers for the trays, supporting arms projecting beyond the bottoms of each tray for supporting the same for rocking movement upon a fiat surface, the supporting arms of one tray embracing the sides of the other tray and intertting with the supporting arms of said other tray when the said one tray is aligned on top of said other tray, to prevent sliding movement between said trays, and means for securing said trays together, a portion of the covers of said trays forming xed parts of the latter and serving to prevent loss of the solutions from the trays when the latter are positioned in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said surface.

9. Photographic apparatus comprising a pair of trays adapted to contain photographic solutions, each of said trays being of rectangular shape and of similar size, covers for the trays, means for preventing relative sliding movement between said trays when one tray is assembled on top of the other comprising a pair of arms secured to the sides of the top tray and projecting beyond the bottom thereof, the sides of said arms engaging the sides of the bottom tray and the ends of said arms adapted to intert with arms secured to the sides of the bottom tray, means for securing said trays in assembled relation, and handle means attached to the securing means and having a tongue extending between the trays for centering the handle means with respect to the assembled trays.

10. Photographic apparatus comprising a pair of trays, each adapted to contain photographic solutions and having bottom, front, rear and side walls, hinge means for connecting the top portions of each rear wall together, a fixed cover plate secured to the rear and side walls of each tray, supporting arms attached to the side walls of each tray and projecting beyond the bottom walls thereof, said arms being positioned forwardly of the centers of said trays so that when the trays are placed upon a fiat surface, their forward portions are raised upwardly with respect to their rear portions, the arms constituting fulcrums about which the tra-ys may be simultaneously rocked to effect movement of the solutions in the trays, and means for securing the trays together after they are assembled by movement of the trays toward each other in opposite directions about the hinge means.

1l. Photographic apparatus comprising a pair of rectangularly-shaped trays of similar size, means including a pair of straps for securing said trays in assembled relation, a handle member having its ends connected with said straps, and means for centering said handle member with respect to the assembled trays comprising a pair of tongues secured thereto and extending between said trays.

PHIL A. SHERIDAN. 

